How Strange
by Midgardian's Enchantment
Summary: Four of the most powerful women in the world walk into the Avenger's Tower e CEO of a multibillion dollar company, a redheaded spy-assassin, an astrophysicist, and an intern. Gunfire screams and none of them will walk out. Two will be carried by lovers, one will stalk, and one will be dead. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE. Language and Violence, will have a HAPPY ENDING!
1. How She Died

**How Strange**

 **Summary:** Four of the most powerful women in the world walk into the Avenger's Tower Lobby. The CEO of a multibillion dollar company, a redheaded spy-assassin, an astrophysicist, and an intern. Gunfire screams and none of them will walk out. Two will be carried by lovers, one will stalk, and one will be dead. This, however, is not the story of how Darcifina Lynn Leanna Lewis died. It is instead, the story of how she lived. Language and Violence.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that MARVEL owns like the Avenger Movies, the Iron Man Movies, the Thor Movies, the Hulk, MARVEL's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Captain America Movies. I am willing to make unscrupulous deals for them.

 **Chapter One: How she Died**

It was strange the longer Darcy thought about it. She'd always known that if she stayed with Jane (which in turn meant staying with Thor) or the Avengers, that they would be the death of her. She'd known deep down in her very marrow. She could chalk it up to her inherited mutant genes from her mom (who the fuck even knows who her dad was), but she'd known without a doubt. She was crystal clear on the point that if she stayed – she would die protecting Jane Louise Foster from something that Thor or the Avengers had dragged her into.

Still, Darcy was struck with the thought of ' _how strange_ ' as she glanced around. To see her (and Jane was _hers_ ) astrophysicist cradled in another's arms – _wailing, screaming, screeching_ – while Virginia 'Pepper' Potts sat horrified (and quite possibly in shock) at the burden in her lap. Natasha "the Black Widow' cried silent tears as she rocked the weeping astrophysicist ( _oh, Janey)_ while taking stock of a situation she could not change and swept the area for any further threats (Thor had fried those fuckers with his lightening – GO THOR!). As for Darcy… Darcifina Lynn Leanna Lewis was lying Dead in Pepper Potts lap; deep red crimson soaking out of the bullet hole over her heart and into the CEO's once pristine business suit.

Darcy had knocked Jane into Natasha, surprising them both, and sending them sprawling behind one of the great support columns of the Tower's lobby before jumping in front of Miss Potts. Now. There she lay. Dead. In Miss Potts lap. Darcy though it very strange.

 **~*Two Hours Previous*~**

Darcy Lewis was not what anyone would call a normal girl. She had many quirks – TOUCH THE IPOD AND BE TAZED! – and was very protective of her "Team Science" consisting of: Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Eric Selvig and most importantly – Jane Foster. She was trying to arrange for the transfer of Dr. Elizabeth Ross… but the rabid General kept stonewalling them. She kept Team Science fed, watered, mostly unsleep-deprived, and mostly unexpected explosion free. She could bribe, threaten, cajole, strong arm, and doe-eye like nobody else and within a week of the girl arriving at Avenger's Tower, Tony Stark's personal R&D was prospering like never before. Pepper and the Board of Directors were thrilled really. S.H.I.E.L.D. (or what was left of it) was fucking terrified.

She'd arrived with little fanfare to the Avengers Tower after the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. Accompanied by Prince Thor Odinson, Doctors Jane Foster and Eric Selvig, she took one look around at the deplorable state of Tony Stark's "State-of-the-Art Candy Land" and immediately launched a coup with the eager help of J.A.R.V.I.S., Dummy, U, and Butterfingers. The labs designated to her newly acquired (and newly dubbed) Team Science were scrubbed clean, organized, restocked, and retrofitted with safety features that only the smartest people on the face of the planet would need. Darcy herself had written the emergency shut out code should one of the quartet attempt SCIENCE! after a stretch of more than 72 hours with no sleep. She'd also fitted Dummy with a dual hose system – that Stark may have thought was fire suppression – that functioned to soap down and then rinse the wayward scientists – because, seriously? Banner and Selvig were not so bad. But Stark and Foster? Had no sense of personal hygiene or self-preservation when on SCIENCE! benders. Thank Thor for the Hulk (and Selvig's age).

So far a few months in, there had been only a few hiccups (read: forced shutouts approved by Pepper, semi-forced feedings approved by Bruce, and one memorable forced cleaning of one Tony Stark approved by all – and 400 million YouTube hits). The number of unplanned or unapproved (TONY!) explosions have gone down significantly because none of Team Science wanted to A) Unleash the Hulk, B) Unleash the Wrath of Pepper Potts, or C) unleash the Wrath of one Darcy Lewis. Once the remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. discovered what the Avenger's Tower newest 'secret weapon' was, they ordered Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton to take Tony Stark up on his offer up on moving in to the Tower to keep an eye on the girl. If anything to prepare for worst case scenario for when she attempted (succeeded really, because she had J.A.R.V.I.S. wrapped around her finger) to take over the world.

S.H.I.E.L.D. immediately regretted this decision – if they thought Barton was bad on his own, Lewis and Barton together were holy terrors with their prank war – and Romanoff had officially taken the girl under her wing and was teaching her self-defense and the Russian language. S.H.I.E.L.D. had thought that their two star agents would be the ones to help take her down… they were quickly disabused of this notion when they realized that Barton and Romanoff would be standing right there with her when the excrement hit the ventilator. Coulson had dealt with the girl in New Mexico and was pissed that he missed just how great of an asset she could have been to S.H.I.E.L.D. When he tried to suggest bringing her into the secret agency after it was clear Romanoff and Barton could have been compromised, Hill nearly shot him.

Once Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson were finally able to track down James Buchannan Barnes, it was agreed by all parties that they too needed to bring themselves to the Avenger's Tower. This made Fury, Hill, _and_ , Coulson nervous – Darcy Lewis was still a wild card. Was she really on their side… or was she a secret HYDRA agent just waiting for a chance to bring the Avengers down from the inside? That's how HYDRA had done with S.H.I.E.L.D. It couldn't be left up to chance. So two days before the trio were to makes its way to the Tower, Maria Hill requested a lunch date with Pepper Potts, Jane Foster, Natasha Romanoff, and Darcy Lewis.

She's hoping to get a better feel for the girl away from the Tower and her new body guards… Maria knows that she can't take Romanoff, but she hopes that the need to keep the pair of super soldiers out of HYDRA control, will convince her that this needs doing. Romanoff had gotten close to Rogers during the DC fiasco – and she'd loved Barnes during her time in the Red Room. She's waiting at the restaurant less than a block away from the Tower when she can hear the gunshots and screaming ring out.

Hill is out of the restaurant and to the Tower before anyone even picks up her frantic calls to S.H.I.E.L.D. or said tower. She arrives just in time to see Thor finally touching down after one of the most terrifying electrical storms she's ever witnessed him create. He'd never been so violent even during the battle of Manhattan or Greenwich and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill knows that whatever she's about to walk into… it's going to be bad.

She was not however, prepared to make her way into the Tower lobby to hear Doctor Jane Foster wailing away in the arms of Agent Romanoff – or to see the girl she'd been so worried about dead in Stark Industries CEO Pepper Potts' lap.

 **Author's Note:** Hi! This isn't the end and I've already gotten the majority of this story written and saved, so I will update very quickly. I don't want to put it up all at once due to the multiple 'Notifications' the bots will send. Please let me know what you think – and I may just upload sooner ;)


	2. The Secrets that she Kept

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that MARVEL owns like the Avenger Movies, the Iron Man Movies, the Thor Movies, the Hulk, MARVEL's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Captain America Movies. I am willing to make unscrupulous deals for them.

 **Chapter Two: The Secrets that she Kept**

Virginia 'Pepper' Potts respected the hell out of the Avenger's Tower newest intern, Darcy Lewis. Pepper had thought that trying to run herd on Tony Stark for the past twenty was the worst it could get – and then she saw was Darcy went through keeping Doctor Selvig in pants, Foster in food, Banner non-Hulked, and Tony sane. She never asked for anything in return either. Upon further inspection, Pepper was appalled to learn that, for everything Darcy Lewis did for the merry band of misfits – keeping them safe, happy and healthy – Darcy was still an _unpaid_ intern. The increased productivity, the positive media, and everything else – Darcy Lewis was not getting paid for it.

Within two hours of Tony's famous YouTube bath, the Avenger's PR had risen nearly 11% in the polls – and she was constantly defending the rest of the team on her blogs and social pages. She made the team more _human_ and more approachable to the general public. The Avenger's didn't seem to notice – but Pepper did. She'd also noticed that the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents (much to the chagrin of Team Science) had become extremely close her – showing their humanity more and more each day. When Former S.H.I.E.L.D. Deputy Director Maria Hill called for a lunch meeting between herself and Darcy Lewis – Pepper immediately turned her down.

After Pepper's hardball negotiations, it was decided that a lunch date would consist of Lewis, Foster, Romanoff, and Pepper herself. Before lunch, however, Pepper wanted to meet with Darcy first to iron out her contract with Stark Industries. Even if Darcy chooses not to sign on with SI and goes to S.H.I.E.L.D., Pepper wants to make sure Darcy gets paid for the work she has already done.

Pepper never even suspects that Darcy wants nothing to do with any contract and tries to refuse any payment. It's not that she doesn't want to continue doing what she was doing for her Team Science, it's that she thinks she gets paid enough in the fact that SI already pays for her food and lets her stay in the tower rent free (by way of Thor). She really doesn't need any other form of payment. When it is explained that, that isn't enough in anyone's mind, Pepper is woefully unprepared for Darcy's response. Having never once before considered that Darcy could be H.Y.D.R.A. or any of the other assorted enemies that the Avengers have collected, Pepper is thrown when Darcy asks for a 'private, doesn't leave this office', type of chat.

Once Pepper assures her that the conversation is between them and them alone, Darcy asks a question that comes out of left-field to Pepper. 'What is Stark Industries position on Mutants, Second Generation Mutants, and Mutant Rights?' completes catches her off guard. She never suspected that the girl could be a mutant – but now that the possibility had entered her mind – she can see it very clearly. Once Pepper explained that Stark Industries didn't care one way or another (provided they weren't using their abilities to harm others or the company) _what_ their employees were – only that they were happy. Darcy explains to Pepper that she was at least Second Generation Mutant. While her father (and therefore his DNA contribution) is unknown, Darcy's mother had a distinct feline mutation that caused her to have cat-like traits including: sharper teeth, retractable claws, enhanced speed and durability, and den-mother persona.

Darcy explained that she had a Generational Mutation from that (or possibly her father) that caused her to be able to shift her characteristics away – but she would never heal as fast as her mother, and her strength and speed when in cat form was ten times greater than her mother would ever be. Unfortunately, both Darcy and her mother are alpha females and two alphas can never 'pack' together, or a dominance battle would end in one of them dead. Darcy hasn't seen her family since her mutation manifested and she was thrown out of the pack.

Darcy needed to have a pack to take care of – she was hardwired that way. Seeing that Darcy never wanted to have to give up an alpha child of her own, Darcy decided to 'adopt' a pack of her own. First it was Jane and Eric and then Thor, and then it was Tony and Bruce and most recently Natasha and Clint. She even got her own alpha males in the mix by way of Thor… and an accidental explosion leading to a Hulk-out. (Lucky for her Thor was completely, totally, and irrevocably Jane's – and the Hulk was still a toddler – and she hadn't been sent into a frenzy because of them.) It bugged her that a member of her pack was providing food and shelter instead of her, but she made due with meticulous cleaning, cooking, and scheduling for her entire crew.

Pepper had had years of practice strong-arming Tony Stark into meetings and paperwork that he didn't want to do. It took nearly all of her infinite patience however, to convince Darcy Lewis that she needed to be paid (retroactively of course) for all of the work that she did. The fact that Darcy had admitted to being a mutant in fact made the situation _worse_ because of how many new social laws and conventions Stark Industries were in violation of for using her as slave labor. Darcy tried to argue – but when Natasha Romanoff slid into the office to warn that they had to leave for the lunch meeting with Hill soon – Darcy quickly signed all documents put in front of her – not wanting Romanoff to know about her Mutation Status (she did, but Darcy treated her like a normal human being – she could do the same to her).

In the end she didn't even read the paperwork – so she didn't know that Pepper had just made her the official Stark Industries Lab Manager _and_ one of the Avengers Public Relations Strategists. She never paid attention to her salary or her benefits – second highest in the company to only Pepper herself – that would pay off her college loans in maybe two weeks and she'd never have to worry about medical (mutant or not!) again. She didn't read it because she was afraid there would be something in it with "DON'T DO THIS" and it would be one of the things that she needed to do to keep her pack and herself happy. It didn't really matter in the long run because apparently Darcy had a lunch date with Pepper, Natasha, Jane, and Maria Hill?

They had to leave soon too or they were going to be late. Darcy Lewis didn't know _what_ the Former Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted with her – she was scared shitless that they had found out about her Mutation and that they wanted to use her as a weapon. She'd never agree to that though, she was no one's weapon – whether her mutation made her a monster or not. She was so focused on what could have been coming… she didn't see what _was_ coming until it was almost too late.

The quartet of women for the Tower were making their way out of the elevation on the ground floor of the lobby when Darcy's extremely powerful scent receptors registered the unmistakable _gunpowder, males,_ _ **threat**_. Time seemed to slow down to almost a stand still as masked armed men burst through the glass front doors of the Avenger's Tower already firing their automatic weapons. She was no expert, but she knew that these men clad in black body armor and indiscriminately spraying the area with mayhem and death were there to kill those that were in the quartet that she walked with.

Darcifina Lynn Leanna Lewis hip checked one of the ladies into another – sending them into safety behind the great stone support pillar that stood center in the lobby – and stepping directly in front of the third and last member of their group just as a weapon was sighted and a trigger was pulled. The metal shard of death left the chamber of the weapon where in less than in a blink of an eye, it struck her dead center of her chest – shattering her sternum (sending shards of broken bone as well as the bullet) continuing on to shred her beautiful, beautiful heart (burst it more like), and then lodging in her spinal column. She was dead before she even began to collapse into the arms of the woman that she had saved.

 **Author's Note:** How is everyone liking the story so far? The next chapter is written and just waiting to be posted ;) (P.S. this story will have a happy ending!)

Also, I can't promise to update everyday. As of right now, I know I have to work on my truck tomorrow after I get off work – I'm hoping to get home in time for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. but we're doing break lines on the back end. Wish me luck… going is a good thing. Stopping even better ;)


	3. Who Shall cry for Her

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that MARVEL owns like the Avenger Movies, the Iron Man Movies, the Thor Movies, the Hulk, MARVEL's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Captain America Movies. I am willing to make unscrupulous deals for them.

 **Chapter Three: Who Shall cry for Her**

 **~*Two Hours Later*~**

It was definitely strange, Darcy thought. She was watching the cleanup process as tower security and bits of S.H.I.E.L.D. moved restlessly about from one stage to another trying to figure out just what the hell had happened. Everything had happened so fast – Thor had barely gotten there in time (and he was still too late, _huh_ ) – there'd been no time to unleash the Hulk. Then again, as soon as Doctor Banner had gotten into the tower lobby and seen _her_ , well… the Hulk made an appearance anyway.

She'd not been expecting her giant green toddler best known for his tantrums to gently pick her up from Pepper's lap to cradle her like so much a broken doll. Darcy could have gone the rest of her life without knowing that the Hulk rocked and cried in little chuffing sobs and great crystal tears. But then… seeing as she was dead and all… maybe that was a poor turn of phrase.

A S.H.I.E.L.D. medic stabbed Jane with a needle – Darcy hissed internally and so wished she could swipe her claws against his throat – and her wailing tapered off. Even with the Destroyer in New Mexico– the Battle of Manhattan – even the battle of Greenwich, Thor had never looked so battle weary and _tired_ as he did lifting Jane into his arms. So soon after losing his mother and then his brother, he had lost his little lightening sister. Darcy felt a brutal stab of pain knowing that she helped put that broken, defeated look on his face.

Pepper hadn't moved since the Hulk had taken Darcy from her. Just a few short hours ago, she'd been arguing with the girl over letting Stark Industries pay her for all that she did. The paperwork, the titles, everything – like they thought that Darcy had had a future. It was like her brain simply short circuited and couldn't get itself around the fact… perhaps that what shock does. Tony, in his newest Mach of an Iron Man Suit, gently lifted her into his arms to carry her out. Darcy decided right then there that Pepper Potts should never – ever – look like that again. And neither should Tony Stark.

Natasha was angry. Never before in her life could she remember being this livid – and she was mad because she was _hurt_. She'd lost a friend (a sister, a confidant, a student) today and she'd lost her being too slow, not paying attention to her surroundings – _just_. She was sure this was her fault somehow but with the very thorough job of frying the fuckers from Thor – she wouldn't even be able to interrogate them. They'd simply died too quickly for her tastes. Darcy was glad that Clint was there to be with Natasha as she stalked out. Poor Nat was too riled to be alone right then – Clint may have been holding it together for the sake of the team (but inside, Darcy could tell he was just crushed).

Maria Hill had come in after the fact. Darcy guessed she'd been close to the tower for lunch and came running at the sounds of attack. How she got nominated to talk the Hulk down, Darcy'd never know, but the Big Guy was having none of it. He was still just gently, gently rocking back and forth on his great big green knees sobbing his heart out. It made Darcy's clench in agony for it. (Again, a poor choice of words, considering.) Maria was unflappable in the face of this newest brand of tantrum from the Big Guy though. She looked a mix of flimsy brittle around the edges while steel rode the voice that tried to get through to the Big Guy.

Steve Rogers couldn't have stayed away when his team had been attacked and together with Sam and Bucky, they made their way into ground zero to find Hill still trying to reason with Banner's alter-ego. Darcy didn't know Steve very well or Sam at all – but there was something that caught her attention about Bucky. He was familiar to her in a way that she couldn't decipher and it made her want to go over and scent mark him. He looked so lost. Steve and Sam didn't look much better when the Hulk suddenly rocked forward on his knees to hand his little broken doll to Steve.

"BRING BACK", his voice was gruff with tears, cracking on the second word.

Steve gently adjusted his hold on Darcy's body so that he held her as he would a sleeping child instead of a murder victim and simply told the truth: "I can't". Darcy's heart shattered all over again as the Hulk broke down into his most epic tantrum ever and Steve – Captain America – Rogers placed her ruined body onto a gurney and covered her with a white sheet. It wasn't like the movies, Darcy thought. No one gently closed her eyes. No one tried CPR and got that gasping miracle. It was like she just simply stopped. And to think, less than two hours ago, she'd been afraid of signing those papers from Miss Potts.

Bucky stood off to the side with Sam, wary as the big green beast wailed his pain and frustration out to the world. Bucky could remember bits and pieces of his lives – both as James Barnes and as The Asset. For some reason, the girl that Steve treated like beautiful breakable glass (broken, she was already broke, just like him) struck him as familiar.

 **Author's Note:** Yea! You've made it this far! The next chapter is when things will start to get… strange, LOL. Then we'll be winding down into the end of this story (Mutant!Darcy is super fun to write).


	4. Stories of a Life

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own anything that MARVEL owns like the Avenger Movies, the Iron Man Movies, the Thor Movies, the Hulk, MARVEL's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Captain America Movies. I am willing to make unscrupulous deals for them.**

 **Author's Note:** **I'm blown away by the support y'all have shown to this story. Absolutely BLOWN AWAY. Unfortunately, I've lost everything after the first paragraph of this chapter. I had maybe three paragraphs left in the next chapter and I no idea how I didn't save it right. Anyway, ENJOY!**

 **Chapter Four: Stories of a Life**

 **~*Another Two Hours Later*~**

It was hard to believe that an attack on their home turf could have taken away one of their loved ones. The Avengers had gathered in the common room of the tower with Sam Wilson, James Barnes, and Maria Hill. Jane Foster was still mostly sedated and resting peacefully in her god of Thunder's arms. Likewise, after getting diagnosed with shock and Tony shedding the suit, Pepper sat draped over him with his arms securing her. Natasha Romanoff stood leaning with her back against Clint Barton whose back was pressed into a corner, still fully armed and coiled for a fight. The Hulk had been led down to his 'Playroom' and Doctor Banner had yet to make a reappearance. Doctor Selvig found himself puttering around the communal kitchen making tea and coffee and snacks for those that would take it. Steve Rogers was settling James and Sam down in the guest rooms of his floor. Maria Hill sat with the others in the communal living room but was on her tablet trying to figure out where the men had come from.

Once everyone had finally returned to the communal living room, the group did what any group does when faced with the sudden loss of one of their own. Jane was now awake and more or less coherent. James sat quietly with Sam and Steve. And most surprisingly – Doctor Banner had finally made his way back to the communal living room – exhausted but no longer so very, very green. The shattered group came together to tell the stories were told of her life. Many from her Team Science, most from Doctors Foster and Selvig, and one very important one from Pepper Potts.

Jane Foster told the story of the young quirky girl that showed up one day for six science credits and never managed to leave. Eric Selvig told of a girl that took care of Jane and himself – and even Thor (before they'd made it to the Tower) and never asked for anything in return. Thor's story, of course was that of the young mortal girl that bested him with his own weapon. A broken sort of strained chuckle came from around the room at that.

Tony added the story of his 'forced cleaning' that was the subject of YouTube legend and Bruce told the story of the Tower's resident mother hen. Clint told the story of the epic prank war they'd been in – accidentally alerting Hill to just who switched out her service weapon with a jello copy. Natasha had snorted at that – she'd known that it had happened but not which of the two had the death wish – and shared the story of the little sister she never knew she wanted. She was still so very, very angry that the little sister in question had been taken from her.

Steve had only met her once, when she'd first come to the Tower. Now he told the story of a science intern who gave him the iPod with playlists by decades so that he could catch up – and his own personal Netflix account. Every single person in the room with the exception of Sam Wilson (even Bucky had a story to tell, he just didn't remember it yet) had a story that served to remind the team of what a truly beautiful person they had lost.

Pepper finally spoke up and regaled the room with the story that she'd only just learned herself. The fact that Darcy had been a mutant did not so much shock the people in the room, as much as disappointed them because Darcy hadn't felt like she could share something so personal with them. Jane and Eric had known that Darcy didn't have any contact with her family but hadn't known why. Everyone else was so accustomed to not talking about their own troubled family histories it never occurred to them to ask after Darcy's.

After much deliberation, it was decided that the team would not try to contact Darcy's missing family. While they didn't know exactly what being an 'alpha' entailed in Darcy's world, none of the group could fathom kicking the girl out on her own at eleven years old. The team had become her family and her family would miss her terribly.

Then again. Maybe not. After all, down on the medical floor where the gurney with her body had been taken… Darcifina Lynn Leanna Lewis was waking up.

 **Author's Note #2:** I have no excuse for how long it has taken me to update this fic, and I apologize. I lost most of it and then I just couldn't get back in the swing of the story and rewrite what I'd lost. I'm sorry. I'm hoping to have it done quickly so that there are no huge waits again. Thank you for your patience, and thank you for not abandoning me.


	5. Things are Getting Strange

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own anything that MARVEL owns like the Avenger Movies, the Iron Man Movies, the Thor Movies, the Hulk, MARVEL's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Captain America Movies. I am willing to make unscrupulous deals for them.**

 **Chapter Five: Things are Getting Strange**

Darcy's second thought upon reentering consciousness was of course, 'How Strange'. She'd willingly and knowingly jumped in front of Pepper Potts to take a bullet to the chest for her and was now waking up. Not dead. Freezing. And apparently naked? No. Not naked. She was covered by a white sheet and she could only spare a breathless prayer in thanks that she didn't wake up in a body bag.

She could feel her whiskers tickling against the scratchy sheet (because no matter how soft it may have been, those were gonna catch) and had a moment of panic at realizing she was in full feline mode. No wonder, they hadn't put her in a body bag – they wanted to study her! Flailing a hand up to catch the sheet and dragging it off her body, she attempted to sit up on the medical gurney and quickly revisited her first thought waking up: _Holy Fuck, that HURTS_.

Taking a moment to will her four inch claws back into her hands and feet – it would do her no good to claw out an eye – she focused on going completely human. Her eyes, her teeth, her whiskers, and her super soft ultralight fur all had to go. She had to make her way out of the building – and she wouldn't do it looking like a deranged anime cat bent on eating someone's heart. Looking down, happy with the results, Darcy couldn't help but run a light finger over the white jagged circle just above her heart. She'd never been a fast healer and this just screamed impossible to her.

Despite everything that Pepper had reassured her with however long ago it was that they were going over the paperwork, Darcy did not feel safe in the Tower. She had to get out! Maybe if she'd retained her feline attributes, she would have had an easier time getting herself into an upright position, but she managed to struggle and strain into some semblance of _up_ anyway. Wrapping the silk sheet (the damn thing had felt like sandpaper in her feline form) around herself like a toga, Darcy took a few steps before collapsing to her knees on the floor.

Irritated, she swiped a handful of claws at the ceramic tile and managed to leave four deep burrows across. Shaking the claws away again and feeling ashamed of herself for losing that little bit of control, she nearly jumped out of her skin when J.A.R.V.I.S. addressed her.

" _Miss Lewis_?"

"Holy fuck! Warn a girl, J.A.R.V.I.S.!" she wheezed in surprise.

" _My apologies, Miss Lewis, while I am pleased to see that you have recovered your injuries, I must insist you allow me to contact someone to assist you_ ".

"You mean you haven't already?" she asked.

" _No, I have not. The entire team has converged in the penthouse and I cannot alert one without alerting them all. I did not think it wise to cause a stampede to your location_."

Darcy kind of chuckled at that. Yeah, she just bet the team would beat feet down to her. She had to get out of the building before they caught her! "No, J.A.R.V.I.S., I think I'm just going to head out, thanks though."

" _I must insist, Miss Lewis – they are mourning your passing_." If a computer could sound reproachful and hopeful at the same time, J.A.R.V.I.S. had it in the bag.

He didn't however argue with her when she responded, "I really, really just want to leave J.A.R.V.I.S. May I use the elevator?"

The elevator doors slid open and Darcy Lewis slipped inside to make her way from the home she'd known the last few months, and the only pack she'd ever created. She'd been expecting him to fight her on it. Leaning up against the wall of the carriage she waited to J.A.R.V.I.S. to make his case again. She should have known to be suspicious when he kept quiet. Instead she was woefully unprepared for the doors to ping! open (strange… J.A.R.V.I.S. never uses the ping!) and for her to come face to faces with the entire Avengers team and family in the common room.

She was even less prepared for her prank partner in crime to flip open his bow and sight no less than three arrows on her.

The previously relaxed air of the penthouse snapped into a tight line of tension and the only thing Darcy Lewis could do was stand there frozen with her mouth hanging open.

" _Miss Lewis appears to have made a full recovery from her injuries_." J.A.R.V.I.S. helpfully supplied.

Unfortunately, he startled the room. Bruce groaned as his heart rate rocketed, Clint let his arrows fly shouting something about ZOMBIES! and Darcy shifted faster than she'd ever thought possible.

Utter chaos reigned.


	6. She's Back (and Purrfectly Fine)

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own anything that MARVEL owns like the Avenger Movies, the Iron Man Movies, the Thor Movies, the Hulk, MARVEL's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Captain America Movies. I am willing to make unscrupulous deals for them.**

 **Chapter Six: She's Back (and Purrfectly Fine)**

When the dust finally settled (and there was a copious amount of dust), the screams and shrieking finally quieted, and the suddenly mad panicked scramble was done, the communal living room was trashed. Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff lay tangled on the floor near the corner they'd back themselves into. It was the first time in a long time that they had snarled themselves together springing into action – made all the more easier as Clint tried to neutralize the threat and Natasha tried to neutralize him. It had been her quick reaction to his drawing of the bowstring that allowed her to knock the three arrows off target – and not into Darcy Lewis.

Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers had both tackled James Barnes to the floor behind the love seat. With the thunder crackling and building in the air, and a very, very angry scientist coming out to play, it was best to get Barnes clear and out of danger. Who knew how he'd react to the great big green monster that had just ripped its way out of Bruce Banner for the second time that day… worse still… who knew whether or not that metal arm of his was lightening proofed.

Thor had had enough time to set Jane Foster near Eric Selvig behind him and take a battle ready position between the Hulk and the two scientists. Wielding Mjölnir high and swirling his godly powers around him, he was vaguely aware of Maria Hill taking a shooter's stance to his left and aiming for the Hulk.

Pepper Potts hadn't gone anywhere in the sudden melee; as soon as the elevator had opened, Tony Stark had tightened his arms around her and _froze_. Sort of like watching a train accident in slow motion, they watched together in horror as a girl became a cat, a man became a monster, and one of their most trusted allies made what could have been the biggest misfire in his entire career.

The Avenger's and crew needn't worry about the Hulk or Darcy though. Because of her already altered state of mind (she had been freaking dead!) and paranoia, as soon as she heard the whisper of the bowstring releasing, she'd shifted faster than she ever had in her entire life. Her silver, nearly translucent fur flowed over her skin like silk fluttering in the breeze, her whiskers resprouted from her cheeks that slowly elongated into nearly a snout, and razor sharp ultrathin claws sprung from both her fingers and toes. Had she not been rolling out of the way of the oncoming arrows, the Avengers (if they'd been close enough) might have seen her pupils shift in the brilliant blue irises and her ears come to points under her hair.

When she came out of her maneuver, she was no longer Darcy Lewis, intern extraordinaire. Instead, she'd become the feline mutant resting on the very balls of her paws – the Female Pack Alpha, slightly confused, and highly pissed off. A deep low rumbling reverberated through the room. When it was realized that it was not Thor's thunder or the Hulk growling, but Darcy, Hill swung her aim from the Hulk to the cat-like creature in front of her. After all, better the demon you know, than the demon you don't in Hill's opinion.

Darcy, however did not agree and cut her low throaty growl off with a loud hissing shriek that had the two super soldiers ducking for cover – and Thor wincing to cover his ears. Not only had it been loud, it had been high pitched. It had also given Darcy the opportunity to gnash her mouth open wide and showcase her inch-long primary incisors surrounded by shorter, but no less sharp fangs.

A moment of silence rang through the common living room – broken by the Hulk's heavy breathing and J.A.R.V.I.S. attempting to cut in. Darcy was having none of it though – too far gone in her feline mode and angry at the whole situation, she picked up with chuffs and snarls, glaring at the room in displeasure. Cat Darcy wanted nothing to do with the people that wanted to hurt her, to study her, to keep her from leaving. She just wanted to take care of her pack in peace!

If she'd been thinking clearly, she may have realized that the two super soldiers were also alphas. One of them – not the one that was strangely familiar and she wanted to scent mark (he was hers somehow… she didn't know how, but he was), the blond that she'd met once before, was sending her into a frenzy. No wonder she was so cranky… other than the whole coming back from the dead thing.

She really had no time to worry about it as suddenly the group watching her (challenge! They were challenging her right to lead her pack!) so closely tensed and the floor trembled behind her. Unwilling to look behind herself to see what had unexpectedly changed and take her eyes off the female alpha (human, pretty…) holding the gun on her, she dug all sets of her claws into the great green hand that wrapped itself around her body. Well, she tried to anyway.

When she realized that her claws weren't going to penetrate the Hulk's hide, she snapped her head forward and sunk her fangs into the giant's thumb as he started bring her closer to his body. She was still unable to break the skin, but she'd put herself in the perfect position for the Hulk to run his other hand down her back. Gently – even for a human – it occurred to her that her giant green toddler of an alpha was attempting to _pet_ her. Not only that, but it felt nice and her irritation was slowly melting away with every stroke…

The Avengers began slowly relaxing when it became clear that Darcy was calming down. Even if she were to attack right at that moment, the Hulk would most likely keep her from doing any damage. The Hulk had never been this calm without reverting back to Banner, but he seemed content to pet the back from the dead girl. Jane was still kinda horrified to notice that in addition to the fur, fangs, and claws, Darcy had sprouted a tail. A tail that was slowly flicking back and forth as her fur smoothed down from her battle stance. The group was almost completely relaxed after the sudden jerk into action when another rumble split the air. Higher pitched and faster in frequency, it was answered by the Hulk sitting down on his butt and snuggling while rumbling back.

They were purring for one another.


	7. Calming Down

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own anything that MARVEL owns like the Avenger Movies, the Iron Man Movies, the Thor Movies, the Hulk, MARVEL's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Captain America Movies. I am willing to make unscrupulous deals for them.**

 **Author's Note:** **This is very short - and I apologize for that and how long the wait has been - I have no excuse, I really don't. Thank to those that review - especially those wanting the next installment. You inspire me and motivate me.**

 **Chapter Seven: Calming Down**

"Darcy?" Jane Foster asked peeking around Thor. Thor wouldn't allow her to fully pass until he knew that she would be safe but he was slowly lowering his war hammer. The feline in question snapped her head up from her nuzzling of the Hulk's big hand to peer at the astrophysicist.

"Jane… safe?" she growled out. The Hulk rocked forwards to place his knees on the floor releasing his unbreakable hold on Cat!Darcy. She still sat gently against his legs, but was slowly meandering her way to the floor so she could go check on her wayward scientist. A few last choice snuggles and she was free to make her way across the Avenger's common room to where Thor was still blocking her access to Jane.

The Avengers gathered around the room could only watch in silence as the Cat/Intern went down to her knees and started butting her head against Thor's knees seeking affection. The Hulk began to recede into Banner and the cuddle-seeking cat slowly began to shift back into a girl. A naked girl at that. She'd lost her blanket toga during her mad dash shift. It was Tony Stark, finally setting Pepper to the side and picking said blanket up that approached the little group first.

Darcy flinched into herself and her furred once again attempted to raise as Tony set the blanket it on her shoulders. He immediately took a step back and went to his knees with his hands raised to show he wasn't a danger. Jane had finally had enough and shoved her way around Thor to gather the almost normal looking girl up in her arms.

Darcy finally relaxed and let Jane hug the crap outta her. Now that she was calmer and knew that her Jane was safe – along with her other companions down in the lobby – Darcy's mind was finally kicking back into gear. She was alive. She was safe – and if the strength of Jane's hug was to be believed, she was loved.

Clint Barton was the next person to nudge forward – and he was pleased see that she didn't flinch away from him. "Darce?" he asked with trepidation. She didn't answer. "Come on, Darcifina, lemme see those eyes," he tried next. She looked up from under her bangs and about Jane's arm. Her normally blue eyes were a golden amber and her pupil had shifted into that of a cats. Clint didn't let it phase him however (she still was swishing her tail, so she wasn't 100% back to human yet). Clint let out a watery smile and she chuffed at him, burying her head back into Jane's warmth.

"Of course she'd mad at you, you idiot! You nearly put an arrow into her!" hissed Natasha Romanoff. Clint jerked around to her with wounded eyes. He knew how close he had come to hurting – maybe even killing her. Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson watched on as Jane finally loosened her hold and they began untangling. Maria Hill was helping Bruce Banner into a pair of Yoga pants and Pepper Potts was watching Tony make little 'easy kitty' movements to Darcy. Eric Selvig was munching from the plate of cookies overturned earlier in the chaos.

James Buchannan Barnes finally spoke up. "Do I know you?"


	8. Questions and Answers and More Questions

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own anything that MARVEL owns like the Avenger Movies, the Iron Man Movies, the Thor Movies, the Hulk, MARVEL's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Captain America Movies. I am willing to make unscrupulous deals for them.**

 **Author's Note:** **You know, this story was just supposed to be a cute dead/not dead, why isn't she dead type thing and I think it grew a mind of its own. There is just SO much that can be done. I think I may have bitten off more that I can chew – but hey it's November! NaNoWriMo? I'm gonna try!**

 **Chapter Eight: Questions and Answers and More Questions**

Darcy's head snapped up and her cat eyes laser-focused on James Buchannan Barnes. He'd asked if he knew her. Looking at him, she still thought he was extremely familiar to her but couldn't place him. Even after the mad dash running around and everything she still wanted to rub her body all over him and share her scent. Not in an intimate fashion of course… now the Captain… he was another story.

No, she decided. He didn't know her. She shook her head to indicate her answer and shifted her focus to Clint Barton. Agent Biceps. DickFace that nearly shot her with an arrow. Upon seeing the look on her face, he immediately set about defending himself. "Come on, D, you know I didn't mean to!" he explained as Darcy shuffled over the Natasha.

The gathered Avengers could tell that Darcy wasn't fully back to her right mind – she was moving hunched over and shuffling instead of walking upright like a normal human being. Her eyes had finally returned to the normal human shape that they were used to seeing on their Intern Extraordinaire… even if she did still have a tail. Natasha slung an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. The brilliant white hot fury she'd felt earlier upon Darcy's death had finally receded. She'd know that Darcy was different – but never in her wildest dreams could she have thought it would save her life.

The communal living room was trashed. Overturned and broken furniture. Dust from craters in the floor caused by Hulk's foot prints and Darcy's claws. Darcy could do nothing but look around in horror and sadness. She did this. The living room was in worse shape than the Tower Lobby.

Finally Pepper Potts stepped forward and addressed the girl that had taken a bullet for her. "Darcy? I can appreciate all of this is very… stressful for you… Is there anything _I_ can do to make things easier on you?"

Darcy tilted her head in response. The group was coming to terms with the fact that a lot of Darcy's quirks and mannerisms that they had grown used to were byproducts of her feline mutation. Affectionate rubbing. Head tilting. Even the mother henning. It all made so much more sense now.

"I… I don't know," Darcy responded to Pepper. Only Darcy's tail remained of her mad shift (her tail was always the thing that was the hardest to shift away). Her mind was 100% back in gear and she was ashamed of her reaction and the fact that she had tried to run away from her family and friends. She hung her head.

"No! None of that! There will be no feeling guilty in my Tower!" Tony Stark interrupted. "Yes, you're a mutant, no I don't care. You take care of everyone but yourself – and you just took a bullet for Pepper. You saved her. You saved Jane – Hell, I'm pretty sure you saved Natasha! You do not get to feel guilty about that," he finally finished.

Looking around the room, Darcy could see the members of her family nodding their heads and agreeing with him. "You're not mad I didn't tell you?" She asked a little weakly. She was back in the right frame of mind but her chest was still sore a hell from the bullet.

"I for one and glad you're a Mutant," Maria Hill cut in. Before she could get any farther though, Darcy cut her off.

"I won't be a weapon for SHIELD." She stared her dead in the eyes and dared her to say otherwise.

"That's not what I meant. I meant that explains why we couldn't find anything on your history. Especially, seeing as you just nearly died for this crew, I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you don't mean them any harm," Hill responded.

"No! They're Pack! You must protect Pack at all costs," Darcy told her.

Just then, JARVIS cut in. _"Pardon, the interruption Sirs, Madams. It appears that Miss Lewis has a visitor_ ". In the few months that Darcy had been at the Tower, she'd had no visitors and she rarely – if ever – left.

Jane finally spoke up after all of the excitement, "who is it JARVIS?" The television screen flicked to life around the crack running down the middle of it. On it showed surveillance of the Lobby. A figure stood at the security check point in baggy sweats and the hood pulled over their head. It was hard to tell, the figure was tall and curvy, definitely a woman, but no other features were visible with them facing away from the camera.

" _She gave the name of Rhiannon Duchenne_ ".

Darcy froze even as Tony pestered JARVIS for more information. "Who?"

All eyes went to Darcy as she clarified: "My mother".


End file.
